Bio as of April 2020

Foreword: I seem to be adverse to self promotion, however I understand that in order to progress my personal and professional development, pushing beyond my comfort zone is required. To that end I post here my Bio so far. Its been written and rewritten over time. I acknowledge that it will continually evolve, expand and with that never achieve completion – constructive critic is always welcome. So this is where I’ve got to so far …

Introduction & Personal statement: I collaborate with people who want to collaborate with me to do the best job possible with the best resources available, with mutual benefit and mutual respect in the absence of harm and for the highest good of all involved

I am a multi-disciplinary Innovation Research Practitioner. My endeavour is to identify, articulate and embody increasingly efficient and effective ways of doing things. Whilst addressing the Key Performance Indicators of cross sector Stakeholders.

I am an NOCN accredited Community Development practitioner, PRINCE2® trained Project management Consultant and ABCD (Asset Based Community Development) Guide with a Postgraduate Diploma in Research Practice; Arts, Media and Design by Project and a 2:1 BA Honours in Art in a Community Context with Drama and Theatre Studies.

I have won awards for my Arts practice and Community Development work.

At the age of 20 (1995) I was awarded my first research practice grant of £700 and in 2011 at the age of 35, I lead a small dedicated team to secure Arts Council England NPO (National Portfolio Organisation) status and the substantial six figure, three year, grant funding that accompanied that position.

I keep the following list as a comprehensive record of my Continued Professional Development.

In an ever evolving environment of challenge, developing knowledge and improvement my continued professional development has included:

Leadership (Roles)

  • Management Committee member Methodist Modern Art Collection 2017 to present
  • Chair of the Board of Company Directors
    • St Pauls Afrikan Caribbean Carnival Limited 2010 – 2012
    • Afrika Eye CIC 2015-2016
  • Chair of the Board of Charitable Trustees
    • St Pauls Afrikan Caribbean Carnival Limited 2010 -2012
  • Member of a Board of Charitable Trustees Grant Giving Trust 2003 +
  • Member of a Board of Company Directors
    • St Pauls Afrikan Caribbean Carnival Limited 2008 – 2012
    • Afrika Eye CIC 2013-2016
  • 2013 Common Purpose Meridian course
  • 2010 -2016 West Bristol Arts Trail Committee member

Awards

2018 City of Bristol College ‘Contribution to the Community Award – Adults’ sponsored by Barclays Annual Student Awards for ground breaking work in establishing collaborative links with Bristol City Council Community Development department.

Professional milestones

Qualifications

  • 2019 Post Graduate Diploma Research Practice in Art, Media and Design by Project, at UWE, Bower Ashton, Bristol, UK
  • 2018 City of Bristol College ‘Community Development’ NOCN Level 2
  • 2012 Spectator Safety NVQ2 with Green Stewards and Cirencester College Business School
  • 2011 City & Guilds Adult Numeracy level 2
  • 2010 PRINCE2® Project Management Practitioner APMG
  • 1999 TESOL Teaching English to Speakers of other Languages with Inlingua, Cheltenham – Trinity College, London
  • 1997 NVQ1 & 2 IT- Information Technology
  • 1996 93-96 Bachelor of Arts Honours 2:1 ‘Art in a Community Context with Drama and Theatre Studies’ Roehampton University, London
  • 1993 A-Levels: English, Art and Geography
  • 1993 Diploma: Singing
  • 1991 GCSEs: English Literature, French, Maths, Chemistry, Physics, Art, Music, Latin
  • 1991 Piano Grade 5
  • 1990 GCSE English Language
  • 1977-1986 Elementary: Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Modern, and Character Dance

Training

  • 2020 ABCD Asset Based Community Development Guides Training with Nurture Development and BCC (Bristol City Council)
  • 2019 Pop Up Business School
  • 2019 Adult Mental Health First Aid
  • 2018 Outset for Business
  • 2017 BRIEF ‘Solution Focused Practice Foundation’ 2 day
  • 2017 City of Bristol College ‘Introduction to Arts, Health and Creativity’ 10 week course
  • 2016 DHI – Developing Health and Independence ‘Peer Mentor Training’
  • 2016 Domino ‘Starter
  • 2015 Blue Orchid Training:
    • Introduction to & Advanced Marketing Strategies & Campaigns
    • Introduction to & Advanced Sales Strategies & Campaigns
    • Introduction to & Advanced Social Media
    • Internet, websites & e-commerce Pt1 & pt2
    • Book-keeping and finance
  • 2015 Webinar by CAF (Charities Aid Foundation); Converting Facebook to Donations
  • 2013 Vosur ‘Kick Start Your Organisation’ course
  • 2013 Barclays ‘Ready For Business’ day workshop at Brave Bristol
  • 2002 TidalFire MacroMedia website design and development
  • 2002 Set Design course Glasgow- The Tunnels
  • 1992 Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award
  • 1998 Interior Design Consultant; soft furnishings, Clifton Village, Bristol
  • 1984-1989 The Bristol School of Performing Arts
  • 1981-1989 The Bristol School of Dancing

Fundraising – where I have individual or lead teams to secure funding

  • £700.00          1995 Baring Foundation
  • £270,000 +    2012-15 ACE NPO
  • £150,000 +    2012-15 BCC (£½ million +  =  £520,000 Chair of St Pauls Caribbean Carnival limited major funding from ACE and BCC and other subsidiary grant funding towards the delivery costs of the St Pauls Carnival community programme)
  • £13,000 +      2016 BFI and subsidiary grants

Key Roles include:

  • Engagement Programme Producer ‘Connecting our City Bristol’ 2019
  • Chair of the Board of Company Directors
  • Chair of the Board of Trustees
  • Afrika Eye Film Executive Director interim Festival Coordinator  & Fundraiser
  • Property Maintenance manager
  • Research Projects Manager – design and delivery
    • Bristol City Council Drugs and Alcohol misuse questionnaire
    • Barriers to Arts and wellbeing engagement
  • Research and Community Development Consultancy
    • 2015 Research and Consultancy The New Room, Bristol funded by Heritage Lottery Fund, scope Community Outreach and Engagement
    • 2014- 2015 Research and Consultancy Babbasa Youth Empowerment Projects – BYEP; Research and Consultancy: Capacity and Sustainability Building
  • Group Art Exhibition Collaborator and Facilitator – negotiation and logistics management
  • Project Manager: various Show reel & short film projects
  • 2012 Show reel for Bristol Cathedral Choir project
  • 2012 Bristol Metropolitan Orchestra film project
  • Image production & Graphic design book cover: Crossing Cultures | Even Sepents Shine 2003
  • Publisher Even Serpents Shine 2003
  • Services Administrator various both permanent and temporary roles
    • Constellation Europe National Distribution Centre (NDC)
    • BANES NHS Media office
    • St Monica Trust support to Operations Manager
    • Kaizen Recruitment
    • AJ Electricals
    • Alpha Office Supplies
    • EWS Transport logistics
  • Bespoke Green Grocers home / office delivery service
  • Website design and build using Macromedia, WordPress and Weebly
  • IT Consultant, POS subject sensitive programming

Art Exhibitions

  • Solo ‘Articulating Actualisation’ 2019
  • Group Art Exhibition Degree Show – ‘Fine Art; Art, Media and Design by Project, Research Practice’ hosted by Arts, Creative Industries and Education (ACE) at Bower Ashton, UWE (University of the West of England), Bristol.  2014
  • Group XXX MLK’ hosted at The Motorcycle Showroom, Bristol 2013
  • Solo ‘Adinkra Farewell’ 2008
  • Solo ‘Impressions’ 2004/2005 at Bar Room Bar, Harbourside Bristol
  • Group Kuumba Speak easy Artists  at Centre Space Gallery  2003/2004
  • West Bristol Arts Trail
    • Solo 2008, 2009, 2016 & 2017
    • Group 2018, 2019
  • Group 1998 North Bristol Arts Trail
  • Curator Solo exhibition by Andy McNab 2012

Artist in Residence 2017 Colston Fort ‘Healing Garden’ Courtyard Project

Post 2003 Professional performances

  • St Pauls Carnival – main stage performer 2005 with PAX Productions
  • V8 fundraiser 2005 with PAX Productions
  • Make Poverty History Exeter Cathedral
  • Goldney Hall Garden Party fundraiser

Acting Roles

  • 2009 onwards Supporting Artist ongoing: NSPCC- VO, Casualty, Sherlock, Dr Who, Inside man, Lloyds Training resources, Parks
  • 2006 Bristol Shakespeare Festival ‘The Tempest’
  • Pre 1993 Key Roles
  • Dido and Aeneas – Dido Lead – Redgrave Theatre
  • Caucasian Chalk Circle – Director – Redgrave Theatre

Pre 1993 Professional performances

  • Jesus Christ Super Star
  • Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dream Coat
  • Pinocchio
  • Oliver
  • Cinderella

Professional performance Venues

  • Bath Theatre Royal
  • Bristol Hippodrome
  • Colston Hall, Bristol
  • Victoria Rooms, Bristol

Additional Information: My capabilities have been demonstrated during my two years in the role of Chair of St Pauls Afrikan Caribbean Carnival Limited. Highlights, key responsibilities and achievements in this role have been:

  • Managing budgets and financial forecasting of up to £250,000 per annum
  • achieving National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) status by submitting a successful funding application to Arts Council England 2012- 2015 of approximately £90,000 per annum
  • Securing Bristol City Council funding of approximately £55,000 per year 2012- 2015.
  • Registering the organisation as a Charity to safeguard funds and prop up transparency and stakeholder confidence
  • Retaining a permanent staff team
  • Developing solid relationships with stake holders, funders, participants and collaborators.
  • An award for exemplary Events Management, Health and Safety; reducing the number of incidents at the event by approximately 80% From  2009 – 2011
  • Leading and managing the turn around of the organisation from a bankruptcy position of £25,000 in the red at the beginning of my term in office (financial year 2010-11) to making a forecasted profit at the end of financial year 2012-2013 of £50,000 (in the black). In short, with the collaboration of our Office Manager we re-cooped a substantial £75,000 in two years for the charity, safeguarding the future of the organisation and delivery of the event for the next 5 years, subject to continued external funding procurement and organisational management best practice. On my retirement in 2013 the Charity was in a position of financial stability whilst still delivering to our funding KPI’s (key performance indicators).
  • Creating a solid business infrastructure through Policies, Procedures and Employees handbook thus meeting Bristol City Council Baseline Standards.
  • Instigating an annual and continuous fundraising drive through text funding
  • Other meaningful outreach and engagement through, Media Liaison; TV and Radio interviews, Advocacy,  Networking, Meeting Facilitation, both internal and external, one-to-one, small and large groups, Marketing,  copy writing, Creating feedback forms, managing Social media development, Research and Development

 My ongoing occupation: Project Management – Development

  • Community Project Management Consultant and facilitator

Community is about the spaces we occupy and share; both real life and virtual, concrete and conceptual. Supported by a framework grounded in 5 key values of Social justice, Equality and anti-discrimination, Collective action, Community empowerment, Working and learning together, I support stakeholders in an exploration of the aspirational spaces available to them. I implement a process of group driven mapping and articulation of ‘the then’- past, ‘the now’ and ‘the then’ – future. My work is supported by my own research practice which touches on citizenship, ethnography, neuroscience, endocrinology, horticulture, mental health and well-being, positive psychology, art in a community context, personal, domestic, urban and natural environments, iconography, social responsibility, ethical corporate and social enterprise and building resilience.

  • Ethical and Sustainable enterprise Consultant:

FOYS – Focus on your Strengths is an NGO designing and delivering Development Programmes in both Ghana and the UK. FOYS operates by facilitating Vocational training, Self-Health Awareness and Agricultural Best Practice. I support the organisation with active consultation in Raising funding, disseminating information and providing opportunities for personal and community development. Activities and projects delivered include; First Aid training with St John Ambulance, Bee husbandry and hive making, Health screenings and workshops, bag and soap making and field trips.

  • Property development & Interior Design:

I have overseen and / or contributed to the renovation of a number of property renovations in England, Wales, Poland and Ghana. These have been both Interior and exterior projects.

  • Creative Producer – Artist:

My Research Practice draws me into the realms of environmental wellbeing drawing on neuroscience and endocrinology. My practice spans the spectrum of the creative Arts from concept to production to presentation. I have secured a number of exhibitions, both group and solo and have worked with private clients to deliver commissioned work now held in their collections. I use my blog as a virtual studio wall to ‘pin’ completed pieces and works in progress.

© 2020 Rebecca NK Gibbs